Majority of Americans Want to Ditch Daylight Saving Time, Experts Weigh In on Health Impacts
The debate on daylight saving time (DST) continues, with a majority of Americans, 65 percent, now favouring its elimination, according to a YouGov poll. The biannual clock change, set to occur again in a couple of weeks, has sparked health concerns and calls for a permanent solution.
A significant portion of those who want to scrap DST, 34 percent, prefer a permanent switch to daylight saving time. However, 22 percent favour sticking with permanent standard time. Experts weigh in, with researchers at Stanford Medicine and a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences agreeing that ditching DST altogether could be healthier. They argue that permanent standard time has far better impacts on our health, potentially even reducing suicide rates.
Currently, no US state observes permanent daylight saving time, with Hawaii, Arizona (except the Navajo Nation), and Maui being the exceptions, observing permanent standard time year-round. The U.S.'s back-and-forth relationship with seasonal time changes makes it unlikely that we'll stop changing the clocks twice a year anytime soon. However, the growing support for eliminating the clock change, coupled with health concerns, may fuel further discussion on the matter.
As daylight saving time comes to an end in a couple of weeks, pushing our clocks back an hour, the debate on its health implications and potential alternatives continues. With a majority of Americans favouring its elimination and experts highlighting the benefits of permanent standard time, the future of our clocks remains uncertain.
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